The Role of Plastics in the Circular Economy Mr Adrian Whyle Senior Resource Efficiency Manager...

The Role of Plastics in the Circular Economy

Mr Adrian Whyle

Senior Resource Efficiency Manager

London – 2nd March 2015

Zero-Plastics to Landfill by 2025

Role of plastics as user of primary resources

3

Plastic packaging saves resources

Replacing plastics packaging with:

Would lead to…

Substitution model developed by German market research institute GVM, based on 32 packaging

categories, more than 70 different materials, and a database containing 26,000 data sets of packaging

materials, sizes, volumes, and masses.

= 20 million more heated homes, i.e the annual consumption of

Romania’s population!

= 21 million more cars on the road, i.e. more than the total

CO2 emissions of Denmark!

Source: denkstatt

If no plastic packaging was used packaging • Mass would increase 3.6 x , • Energy consumption would increase 2.2x • CHG emissions would increase 2.7x

Landfilling is still the most common waste treatment option for Plastics

4

Treatment of post-Consumer Plastic Waste in Europe in 2012:Treatment for post-consumer plastics waste in the EU27+Norway and Switzerland

RDF Municipal Solid Waste Incineration

SRF for energy intensive industrial production, e.g. chemicals, cement etc.

Source: Consultic2014

5

Plastic waste going to landfill (2012):

above 66%

>50% to 66%

below 10%, i.e. landfill ban

Landfilling of plastic waste is still a major option in many countries

33% to 50%

2005

1999+2006

20042006

2009 2005

2016

1996

1997

Date of landfill ban in force

Date of future landfill ban

2016

2014 – Scotland(dry recyclables)

Treatment of Post-consumer plastics waste 2012 by EU 27 + 2 (in kt)

6

:

2012 Level

2017 Target

Countries with

landfillban

Zero Plastics to Landfill by 2025 is challenging but key to Saving Valuable Resources

= 60 million tonnes of plastics prevented from landfill, equivalent to >750 million barrels of oil or 37.5 billion* €

MTo

nn

es

* 50 Euro/barrel

Recycling of plastic packaging waste in the main markets

8

Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate (in %)

Energy Recovery rate (in %)

2006

PL

GBES

IT

FR

DE

<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

Recycling of plastic packaging wastein the main markets

9



2007



10



2008



11



2009



12



2010



13



2011



14



2012


Collection is keyUK Household Plastics Collection Survey 2013

15

http://www.recoup.org/p/229/2014-uk-household-plastics-collection-survey

Top performing local authorities tend to use comingled collection; collection in a dry recyclables bin of a combination of some or all recyclable plastic, glass, metal, paper and card……. WYG Collections Report 2013

56% Recycling

24% Recycling

4% Recycling

>70% Recycling

41% Recycling

7% Recycling

To Achieve 2017 targets an extra 350k tonnes of plastic packaging needs to be collected for recycling

http://www.recoup.org/p/229/2014-uk-household-plastics-collection-survey

16

INNOVATION…… the key catalyst for future increased resource recovery

1. Recycling and Eco-Design2. Feedstock recycling

Daplen™ Polypropylene with Recycled Content

A new portfolio of polypropylene compound grades composed of post-consumer recycled (PCR) and virgin content for the Automotive Industry have been launched

17

• Enhanced product sustainability; improved CO2 footprint

• Product performance / cost similar to virgin polymer.• For interior, exterior and under-the-bonnet (UTB)

automotive applications.• 3 new Daplen™ grades with 25-50% PCR content,

Innovation - Recycling and Eco-Design

18

Pulse PlasticsSteel Coil Edge protection100% recycled polyolelfins

NampakMilk PackagingUp to35% rHDPE

HillePlastic Seating100% rPP

GSKFruit Juice100% PET

RPC GroupPaint Pots25% rPP

Protomax www.protomax.co.ukOffice Furniture100% Mixed Plastic Waste

http://www.protomax.co.uk/

19

Plastic packaging;Contribution to Resource Efficiency

Nampak’s® Infini Milk Bottle Increasing HDPE Recycled Content in milk bottles.

2010 - 10%2015 - 30%*2020 - 50%

• 16% CF reduction per tonne of product since ‘09

• 5% energy reduction achieved in 2013

*2014 - 4 pint bottle 20% lighter 30% recycled content

Courtesy of Nampak

Over 75% of milk bottles are recycled

Plastic packaging;Contribution to Resource Efficiency and food Safety

The Co-op food retailer has launched its roast-in-the-bag chickens across its the “whole bird” range, providing extra reassurance to consumers that they can safely prepare roast chicken in their own home.• Enhanced food safety by eliminating the

need for consumers to handle raw meat• Prevents the spread of Campylobacter

from washing chicken.• Simplifies preparation and cooking

convenience.• Bag seals in chicken juices and

improves succulence.

20http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/press/press-releases/Food/co-op-announces-food-hygiene-and-cooking-convenience-initiative/

Food Standards Agency (FSA) reports of 3,000 fre

sh

chickens 73% tested positive for th

e presence of

campylobacter.

Source: The Grocer 26/2/15

http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/press/press-releases/Food/co-op-announces-food-hygiene-and-cooking-convenience-initiative/

Innovation:The road to the plastics circular economy

tNew Detection Systems- Better Plastics Separation

- Radical Innovations

- Step-Change Innovations

- Incremental InnovationsNew to Market

Time

Depolymerisation- Production of Virgin Polymer

Enhanced Digital Imaging

€

$

$

€ $

£

£Increased use of recyclate

Improved Sorting£

€

€$ £

€$

£

€$

£

Eco-design

Project REFLEX:Increased recycling of flexible packaging

22

Funded by the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK the REFLEX project brings stakeholders throughout the supply chain from polymer producers, converters, recyclers and waste management companies together to address the challenge of creating a circular economy for flexible packaging, e.g. detergent pouches, confectionery and biscuit wrappers

Partners Include:

Axion Ltd, Amcor Ltd, Dow Chemical Company Ltd, Interflex Group, Nestlé UK Ltd, SITA Holdings UK Ltd, TOMRA Sorting Ltd and Unilever UK

http://www.axionconsulting.co.uk/pioneering-project-aims-recycle-flexible-packaging

http://www.axionconsulting.co.uk/pioneering-project-aims-recycle-flexible-packaging

Innovation – Feedstock Recycling

OILOIL

OIL

OIL OIL

OIL

DEPOLYMERISATION

Plastics to Oil

CO2 as a raw material from Flue Gas for Polyurethane Foam

CO2

NC

OR

OC

NH

OR'

OH N

RN

CO

R'O

CN

R

H H

O O n

H

+

Isocyanate Polyol

Polyurethane

Production of polyol (Precursor for polyurethane foam)

15M Euro German production plant planned in 2016 with a capacity of 5,000 tons / year polyol production capturing CO2 from an RWE chimney

RIGID FOAMS

FLEXIBLE FOAMS

Making products out of hot air (CO2): The abundant alternative carbon source

Whilst the detail is unclear European recovery rates will increase;

• The increasing focus on the circular economy provides opportunity to stimulate research in materials recycling

• Recovery of more embedded resources. i.e. materials & energy are key in the drive towards a Resource Efficient Europe

• Advanced thermal recovery has a role to play for non recyclable materials

• Materials destined for energy recovery will in the future be increasingly recycled and this will include “carbon’ recycling

The Role of Plastics in the Circular Economy Mr Adrian Whyle Senior Resource Efficiency Manager...

Documents

Transcript of The Role of Plastics in the Circular Economy Mr Adrian Whyle Senior Resource Efficiency Manager...